Elizabeth Catherine Wolf Merritt – Living Legend
By Susan Slater
Liz Merrittwas born in New Haven, CT on October 7, 1921, which makes her 104 years old. She is of German Irish descent and named after Elizabeth in the Bible. She grew up in the Church of Nazarene and attends the Church of Nazarene in Zephyrhills. She had one sister, Mary Helen, who is younger.
She lived in New Haven until 3 or 4 years old then moved to Florida to Michigan and back to Florida. She remembers her first hurricane at four, 100 years ago. Her father drilled holes in the roof so the water would not gush in or the house would not blow away.
He was an ice fisherman in Michigan, takinice chunks to the ice boxes for people and clean his own fish. She did not grow up long with her mother. He remarried and Liz had a stepsister. She had an aunt that taught her to make her bed. If she did not make it right, she would have to do it again. She liked to swim and had a memory of putting her toe in cold water. While barefoot, her father chased herto throw her in the water.
She grew up withan outhouse, no electricity and no TV.The neighbors had the whole neighborhood over gathered around a tiny screen. There was not a lot of dating, but kids would hang out in groups and do things together.
“We did not get in trouble,” said Liz. “I was the calmest one of the bunch.”
Liz did not know she was poor growing up in the Depression. Parents didn’t talk then. School years were spent in Michigan. Her mother had a garden and would bake goods to sell in Bud Lake. She graduated from high school in 1939.
She married in 1940 at 19 and raised a family of six during WW2. They used war ration coupons for goods. They ate farm food and butcher the animals. Her husband was in the army during WW2 and received honors. She recently lost her oldest son, surviving all but two of her children.
“Raising kids on a small farm in Michigan was a circus,” recalls Liz. “We had cows, chickens and pigs.”Liz remembered a time acow tried to jump over the bottom of the barn door. Then they called it Dumb Dora.
“I taught my kids equally. Boys needed to know how to do things if their wives got sick,” said Liz. “The girls had to learn everything, too.” Her daughter Heleninstalled a new car radio and changed the starter in her daughter’s car.
Holidays were fun. At Christmas the Pastor came to the house and read Christmas stories. They had bread and coffee. Easter was egg hunts at church.
She loved being with her kids and tried to vacation. They went to Springfield, ILon Lincoln’s Birthday. There was no place to park and the hotels were full, so they ended up spending the night in their car.
Liz workedten years washing dishes at a steakhouse. She went to college at 55 and graduated at 60 with an associate’s degree in interior design. She worked at JC Penny, Westshore, in the drapery department. She was topin catalog sales in the district and retired with many accommodations.
When asked her secret being alive this long she responded, “Stay away from Doctors. I never took drugs and have always been healthy.”
accommodations - Liz received these pins for her achievements in JC Penny for her sales achievements and employee accomplishments.
IMG_2243 - Liz Merritt looks on at all her children's photos with her daughter Helen in a frame her husband made.
Liz - Liz Merritt in her home at 104 years old. She lives with her daughter Helen in Timberlake Estates in Wesley Chapel.
war rations - Liz saved these war ration coupons from WW2 because she thought someone might like to look at them. The dots on the side were to take to the gas station to get gas.
